Another year, another debate over the future of the Hollister
Independence Rally.
Another year, another debate over the future of the Hollister Independence Rally.
While we understand that last week’s report from Hollister Police Chief Jeff Miller presented some stark realities: the high cost of patrolling the event – more than $600,000 this year if the California Highway Patrol hadn’t cut the rally a break – and the inability to guarantee rallygoers’ safety, we disagree wholeheartedly with council members who say they would vote to cancel the event altogether.
The fact is, the chief can’t guarantee absolute public safety on any day in Hollister. What he can do is provide adequate safety, and that’s what police did at this year’s rally, even with rival outlaw motorcycle gangs puffing out their chests.
Still, there comes a time when a festival has to grow up, and that’s where the rally finds itself. If it doesn’t, then its future will be shaky indeed. The Hollister Independence Rally Committee is taking steps to mature, although they are unsure at times. A recent report on the rally’s economic impact is a perfect example. Creating such a report was the right thing to do to strengthen support for the event. It stated that the rally brings $370,000 into city coffers in sales tax. But unfortunately, it was based on assumptions and inadequately researched, prompting council members to doubt its veracity.
Though a majority of council members said Friday that they would vote to cancel the event, thankfully they left the door open to find solutions to make it work. Rather than turn its back on Hollister’s biggest marketing bonanza, the council should embrace the event and work with HIRC to make sure it is run as smoothly and professionally as possible.
Put a council member and a member of the Hollister Police Department on the HIRC board to address the city’s concerns. Recruit local business people with financial acumen to find creative ways to make money so HIRC can pay its bills.
Properly orchestrated, the rally is a gold mine. Many people want to promote tourism in Hollister, to tout the county’s fantastic wines, to publicize the Pinnacles National Monument, to show off the charm of San Juan Bautista. What better chance to do that than a three-day weekend when more than 100,000 people stream onto our streets?
As far as addressing the cost of law enforcement, there must be creative ways to manage police to keep overhead down: Perhaps reducing staffing during the non-peak hours and allocating some of the rally revenues to our understaffed district attorney’s office to help prosecute crimes.
We have to find solutions to the rally’s problems, because we don’t want let go of the one event that brings such publicity and renown to our town at a time when we’re hurting economically.
